NEWS
College Features
- Publish Date：2025-03-13
A Taiwan First! NYCU Launches ‘Medical-Legal Program’ to Cultivate Dual-Expertise Talents
Translated by Szu-Yung Huang
Edited by Chance Lai
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Edited by Chance Lai
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In today’s complex and rapidly changing society, single-discipline expertise is no longer sufficient to tackle emerging challenges. As interdisciplinary learning becomes essential for fostering innovation and problem-solving skills, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) is taking the lead by launching Taiwan’s first-ever Medical-Legal Program in 2025.
This pioneering initiative aims to equip medical students with legal expertise, enabling them to better understand medical law and policy, resolve healthcare disputes, and actively shape healthcare regulations.
School of Medicine Expands Interdisciplinary Curriculum to Cultivate Advanced Medical Technology Law Experts
Professor Albert Chih-Chieh Yang, Chairman of NYCU’s School of Medicine, explained that the medical curriculum has already been divided into three programs: the Physician, the Physician-Scientist, and the Physician-Engineer, showcasing NYCU’s integration of medical science with engineering and technology. However, Professor Yang emphasized that while science and technology are crucial, humanities and legal literacy are equally vital in modern healthcare.
“In today’s medical landscape, issues such as healthcare disputes and policy formulation are becoming increasingly prominent, making legal knowledge indispensable for medical professionals,” said Professor Yang.
This pioneering initiative aims to equip medical students with legal expertise, enabling them to better understand medical law and policy, resolve healthcare disputes, and actively shape healthcare regulations.
School of Medicine Expands Interdisciplinary Curriculum to Cultivate Advanced Medical Technology Law Experts
Professor Albert Chih-Chieh Yang, Chairman of NYCU’s School of Medicine, explained that the medical curriculum has already been divided into three programs: the Physician, the Physician-Scientist, and the Physician-Engineer, showcasing NYCU’s integration of medical science with engineering and technology. However, Professor Yang emphasized that while science and technology are crucial, humanities and legal literacy are equally vital in modern healthcare.
“In today’s medical landscape, issues such as healthcare disputes and policy formulation are becoming increasingly prominent, making legal knowledge indispensable for medical professionals,” said Professor Yang.
Medical students are attending a biochemistry lab class.
Launching in 2025, the Medical-Legal Program will provide a structured learning pathway, starting with foundational legal knowledge in the early years and progressing to specialized courses in medical law and healthcare policy in later stages. Students are encouraged to explore legal concepts in their first and second years before advancing to specialized subjects such as healthcare regulations and public health policy during their third and fourth years.
Professor Yang emphasized that this program is designed to cultivate talent capable of resolving medical disputes and address the evolving landscape of regenerative medicine, advanced medical technologies, and digital healthcare. NYCU aims to empower its graduates to excel in policy-making and healthcare governance by nurturing future medical professionals with a solid understanding of legal frameworks.
Alumni Spotlight: Bridging Medicine and Law for Unparalleled Expertise
Yu-Chieh Huang (right) returns to the School of Medicine to share her interdisciplinary career journey with junior students. (Photo credit: Yu-Chieh Huang)NYCU alumna Yu-Chieh Huang is a prime example of successful interdisciplinary development. A graduate of the Physician-Scientist Program, Huang transitioned from her medical studies to pursue a law degree in the United States, carving out a niche in medical and pharmaceutical litigation.
“I realized my passion lay less in experimental research and more in literature analysis, critical thinking, and argument development,” said Huang. “This shift led me to explore medical law and pursue advanced studies in the United States.”
Huang’s unique medical expertise and legal knowledge blend have given her a competitive edge in pharmaceutical patent litigation. Her background allows her to swiftly comprehend medical literature, pharmaceutical data, and medical device details, positioning her as a standout talent in the legal industry.
“During my internship at a U.S. law firm, I noticed that many top-tier patent litigation attorneys had backgrounds in medicine and law,” she added. Huang hopes NYCU’s innovative Medical-Legal Program will inspire more medical students to pursue interdisciplinary pathways and emerge as global leaders in medical innovation.
A Vision for the Future: Advancing Taiwan’s Medical Education
NYCU’s groundbreaking Medical-Legal Program reflects its forward-looking approach to healthcare education, addressing future industry demands. Whether contributing to medical litigation, shaping healthcare policy, or driving advancements in cutting-edge medical technologies, this new generation of cross-disciplinary talent is poised to meet evolving industry needs and become influential figures in tomorrow’s healthcare landscape.
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